Junior trophy for Ards and North Down sailors
Edward Reynolds (13) and Josh McNeely (14) have claimed national success during their summer holiday, completing six challenging races over a two-day event at the Irish National GP14 Championship, hosted by Carrickfergus Sailing Club. The pair secured 4th place in the bronze fleet and 1st place in the Under 19s, taking home the junior trophy at the prestigious all-Ireland event.
Racing across the generations
The fleet brought together helms and crews with a wealth of experience, including previous Olympians, with competitors ranging in age from 13 to over 80 years old. It’s a fleet that shows off the unique inclusivity and lifelong appeal of sailing, and a fantastic event for both young sailors to test themselves against. Both Edward and Josh are members of Donaghadee Sailing Club, and Edward is a squad member of the NI Sailing Team Topper squad.
A strong summer for Edward
Edward also competed at an Isle of Man event in July, securing 2nd place in an RS Tera, a boat he had never sailed before and was kindly able to hire from 7th Wave, Port Erin for their annual races.
Building skills for life
Sailing is an accessible, lifelong sport with fantastic opportunities for all ages, building skills on and off the water. Edward started sailing just two years ago and has already achieved national success in that short time, representing his school, Donaghadee Sailing Club, and Northern Ireland.
Next stop: the GP14 Worlds
Edward and Josh’s next challenge this summer will be competing in the GP14 World Championship, hosted by Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, which will see 100 boats racing on Belfast Lough from 8 to 14 August.
